A Taste of Death

Chapter Twelve

"Crown Prince Kaiyan Estera of Avense, you have been charged with-" Neveah pushed Rosa and Casey out of the room as the trial went on. "You shouldn't be here."  She whispered, pushing them away from the courtroom. "He killed Nova! We should be there." Rosa protested. Neveah sighed. "Yes but you're both underage and have seen a lot in the short time you've been here." She paused and lowered her voice. "And the Council can be quite...cold. They don't have much compassion." Neveah stopped them in front of a bedroom. "Get some rest you two, okay? We'll meet up later and talk about everything before you guys go home." The two humans looked at each other before nodding and walking into the room.
    Neveah sighed as she closed the door, gently locking it, and closing her eyes before heading back to the courtroom. As she walked back in, she saw Kai get led away, the male glancing back at Neveah, his red eyes meeting her pink ones. She broke eye contact as Elowen walked up to her. "What was the verdict?" Neveah asked quietly. Elowen shook her head and gently took her arm, leading her to a quiet place before sighing. "Execution." She crossed her arms. Neveah's eyes narrowed. "Execution? How?" Elowen glanced around before whispering. "Viteza." She looked concerned. Neveah gasped, eyes widening. "No!" Neveah protested. Elowen shushed her. "Sh- I know, it's horrible-"
    "The Council took an oath to never use it! Especially after what happened years ago! We need to stop them!" Neveah debated back. Elowen looked her in the eyes. "I need you to calm down, Neveah. We'll need to talk to the others before we face the council." Neveah composed herself after a few deep breaths. "Alright, I'll go get Rosa and Casey." She nodded and left, Elowen heading back to find the men and Cassiopeia. Meanwhile, Rosa and Casey ran after Neveah, confused about the rush. "What's going on?" Casey asked. "Neveah shook her head. "Everything will be explained when we get there." As they entered the room, the two noticed everyone looking a lot more somber than expected.
"Why are you all upset? We won." Rosa asked, genuinely confused. Cassiopeia stepped forward. "Kai's been condemned to Viteza." She looked down, tapping her foot. "What's that?" Casey inquired. "Viteza is a word meaning, roughly, 'Life Harvest'." Amarelis crossed his arms. "Instead of a power block, the magical essence- which is embedded in who we are- is removed slowly, causing pain to the victim, as well as slowly destroying their soul until they cease to exist. Completely. No afterlife." The girls were horrified. "That's horrible-" Rosa whispered. Neveah gently placed a hand on their shoulder. "The last and only time it was used was centuries ago against someone who had previously threatened one of our strongholds." She gently spoke, Waylon pipping up after. "After seeing the devastating effects on the victim, it was sworn to never be used again."
"However, it seems the Council is breaking their oath," Vesper commented, "and Elowen and Neveah believe that Kai isn't as guilty as we all thought he was." Elowen nodded. "He's been acting weird since the battle against Nova. I don't think he really wanted, or daresay, meant to kill her." Elowen looked at Neveah. "Look, I know it doesn't mean much, but as I've said before, I've known him nearly my entire life. A lot of people were afraid of him but he wouldn't harm anyone if he didn't have to." Neveah added. Rosa and Casey gripped hands. "How much time do we have?" Casey asked. The others looked at each other, until Vesper spoke up. "Until sunset." Rosa placed her hands on her hips. "Well, then we don't have time to lose. What's the plan?"
An hour later, the group dispersed, the plan in mind. "He's going to be guarded heavily. Amarelis, Vesper, we'll need you to be distraction while Neveah and I get into the cell block." Elowen had explained, the two men already working on their own separate plan, nodding to each other as they split up. "Cassiopeia and Rosa, the room that Neveah showed you earlier is fairly close to the prison block. As soon as we get Kai out of there, you will need to get him to that room and guard it until the rest of us get there. Waylon, you and Casey will be at the room with medical supplies in case anyone is hurt." Cassiopeia and Rosa laid low in the grass as they waited, both of them determined. Casey and Waylon grabbed some supplies from the medical wing when no one was looking and made their way back to the room, closing and locking the door. Elowen and Neveah held their breath as they waited for the cue, coming five seconds later as an explosion went off, the two women running into the cellblock and closing the door, surprising the guard that was stationed there. He didn't get much time to speak before Elowen knocked him out, Neveah searching the entire cell block.
"Kai?" She called out. "Neveah...? Is that you?" A male voice quietly called back. Elowen and Neveah ran over. "Of course it's me you nitwit-" Neveah called back coming face to face with her childhood friend. "Heavens you're alive..." She breathed a sigh of relief. Elowen nodded. "Listen, we're going to get you out of here." Elowen began. "What? Why?" Kai asked, confusion on his face. "The simplest explanation is that we don't think you're completely at fault, so tell us what really happened." Elowen crossed her arms, glancing back to check the door. "You won't believe me." Kai shook his head. "Kai please-" Elowen held up a hand and cut Neveah off, grabbing lockpicks from her boots and working on the lock for a second before it clanged to the ground and she opened the door, holding a hand out. "Then show me." She simply commented. Kai looked stunned for a moment before the two sat down and he took her hand. "Neveah, bring us back if something happens." Elowen instructed. Neveah got out her harp and nodded, determined. Seeing he already had his eyes closed, Elowen took a deep breath and closed hers. When she opened them again, her surroundings were dark and Kai was next to her. "So-" He shook his head and pointed to the darkness in front of them, cutting Elowen off. "Just watch." Puzzled, Elowen did so.
The scene lightened to Kai himself attending a meeting with the demon order, when a woman burst in, attacking all the members. Kai eventually stood alone. "Who do you think you are?!" He yelled at the tall white haired woman, adorned in red, a smile on her face. "The heir of Avense, gifted with Pure Darkness. Too bad your poor father won't be able to see the gifted one on the throne." The past Kai's eyes widened. "You killed my father?" His sword lowered slightly as fear struck his heart, then anger rose, as did the shadows. "No, darling, you killed him." She chuckled, walking forward a few steps. "After all, it was your power that killed him." Kai's eyes glowed with hatred as he and the shadow's behind him attacked the being. However she merely chuckled, one movement sending his sword flying, the other sending his shadows away as she threw the male back. He stared up at her, clenching his jaw. "What are you..." He muttered. She walked up to him, pointing his own sword at him. "Not, what, darling. Who." She paused, examining the prince. "I am the sorceress Adelaide and you-" She leaned close to the demon. "You, my dear, are just what I need." Kai's eyes widened as everything went dark.

    Elowen looked over at present day Kai, eyes wide in horror. "Adelaide as in Queen of the cursed tribe?" She asked, incredulous. Kai winced and nodded. "I thought she had converted into a Quirati like everyone else." Elowen was horrified, but didn't get a chance to say anything else before another memory surfaced.
   
    Kai threw his sword aside, muttering under his breath. Going to get a drink, Adelaide appeared in front of him. "You killed the destined hero! Good job my little shadow." She praised, chuckling, Kai dodging her affection and saying nothing as he moved past. "Don't tell me you're sad about it." Adelaide huffed, walking alongside him. He stopped and looked at her. "And what if I am?" He asked. "Come now, Kaiyan, she's just a human." Adelaide reasoned. "Yeah, a human that had a life! She hadn't even come of age yet!" He argued. "Well, you spared her from that dreary life those-" Adelaide waved her hand as if dismissing, "humans have. You did the girl a favor." The sorceress shot back. Kai stared at her. "Did you even know her name?" He asked. "No, why?" Adelaide tilted her head. The prince narrowed his eyes. "I didn't either. It's Nova Scott." He crossed his arms. "Oh, how boring." Adelaide replied. Kai was disgusted. "You don't even care!" He huffed. "You know what? I did what you asked, I killed the girl, now go. You got what you wanted." He began to walk away, only for Adelaide to grip his wrist, her nails digging into his wrist. "I'm not done with you yet, little prince. Looks like I'll have to punish you again." He looked back at her, a black spike shooting at her. She threw him to the side. "Ah, ah, ah, Kaiyan, you forget, you can't harm me." She chuckled and approached him, the memory going dark.
   
    "She's a lot more evil than the legend says." Elowen mumbled. The present Kai nodded. "She tried using mind control on me and when that didn't work she used illusions, fears, whatever she could against me and...I don't know how but it seems like she can even use my power. I didn't think that was possible." Kai looked at Elowen. "Well, we know you're not to blame." Elowen gently assured him. "Now let's get you out of here before the Council comes to get you."
    Neveah looked over as the two opened their eyes and stood. "What did you find out?" The faerie asked. "Too much to explain right now, let's go." Elowen instructed. The door to the cell block burst open as guards flooded in, running at the trio. "Get on the ground!" The captain yelled, Neveah lifting her hand to strum her lyre. "Elowen go with Kai, I'll hold them off." Neveah fixed her gaze on the mob. "No you can't, let's go." Elowen grabbed Neveah and the three ran towards the end of the block, Kai pointing out some windows high up. "There!" Elowen looked back. "We won't make it!" Neveah called. "We'll have to try." Elowen mumbled, finding a cinderblock on the ground and heaving it at the windows, shattering the glass. Cassiopeia, on the other side, conjured a cloth to cover the glass and a ladder. "Come on!" She yelled. Elowen turned to see the mob close in on them, her eyes widening as time seemed to slow and she saw the person from her vision, the figure raising a finger to his lips as the guards were shoved back mercilessly. Elowen smiled lightly before getting out of the cell block herself after Neveah and Kai, the four then running to meet Waylon and Casey.